His Black Rose, Her Stardust
by theplaywrite
Summary: A collection of Yusei Fudo and Akiza Izinski short stories-all with one word prompts.
1. Mask

Mask

"Do you still have that mask?" Yusei quietly asked the young girl sitting besides him.

Akiza tilted her head slightly to the ground. She had no idea how the conversation had changed from school work to the legends of the Black Rose. "What if I do?" She responded to Yusei's question with one of her own, in a tone that was not intended to come off as so defensive as it did.

Still, Yusei's eyes were stricken with guilt. "Akiza, I didn't mean it like that. I was just wondering."

"It's alright, Yusei." Akiza cut him off with a soft smile. "I do have a piece of the mask. Right eye, actually. After you broke it when attacking me with Stardust during the Fortune Cup, that was the only piece I managed to grab before Sayer took me off the stage." Akiza pulled her knees up to her chest. "I kept it...because I wanted something to remind of the monster I never wanted to become again."

"Akiza." Yusei put a hand on Akiza's shoulder, wanting so badly to comfort her. "You know...that I'm always going to be here for you."

"I know, Yusei. I never understood why, but you just-"

Suddenly, Yusei pulled Akiza into his chest and wrapped his arms around her.

"You just tear my mask off." Akiza whispered into the embrace. Yusei's gestures of compassion and love were the most powerful things the young psychic had ever felt. The world just seemed to disappear and every problem running around in her head vanished. Akiza had no idea how he did it, but Yusei had his own special way of bringing out the real her.

"You know it's because I want to see your beautiful face, your stunning eyes and the person you truly are underneath all that plaster." Yusei commented in the most soothing and complementive voice.

Akiza lifted her head to meet Yusei's striking blue eyes. "Do I tear your mask off?" She asked with a hint of playful banter stringed in her question.

Yusei was quiet for a moment. He slowly lifted his hand and brushed back a loose strand of Akiza's hair. "When I'm with you, it's like I can't think straight. Reality is gone and all I see is you. You surly take away that calm and collective attitude I've worked so hard to maintain."

Akiza could not help but laugh. It was flattering for Yusei say such things about her.

"I knew I started falling for you when I first saw you without your mask." He added, thinking back to the moment he stepped in front of the Black Rose.

"Really?"

"Of course."

Akiza closed her eyes and let out a happy sigh. "I've got you under my spell."


	2. Roses

Roses

"I don't know what to do, Jack." Yusei leaned his body against the fridge. His mind was searching in a million directions for a simple answer to his dilemma. "Everyone I asked just said to give her roses."

Jack finished siping his coffee before speaking. "Well, she wasn't called the Black Rose for nothing." The former king smirked at his own witty comment.

"It just seems so predictable. I should be able to do so much better for her." Yusei sighed. Akiza really did deserve the best, especially the way Yusei saw it.

Jack placed his favorite coffee cup down on the table he was sitting at. "Then don't get her roses. Give her daisies, or lilies, or some other type of flower." Jack offered a different suggestion for his friend. Watching Yusei stress about something so simple was disheartening.

Yusei shook his head. "No. That would be ridiculous."

Jack quickly slammed down on the table with his fists, having enough of the pathetic situation Yusei put himself in. "Well, don't give her flowers at all then. Flowers die in a day or two anyways. Get her chocolate, or jewelry, or whatever else girls are into."

The younger man rolled his eyes at his arrogant friend. "You're no help at all."

"Well, I'm not the one stressing about what I'm going to give the girl I'm going to confess my love to. Pull yourself together, mate!"

Yusei stood up straight and scratched his head. If only he was as good with the ladies as he was with duel runners. Or maybe it was because Akiza had her own way of messing with his head. "What if I give her roses...just not the roses she expects."

Jack raised an eyebrow at the vague statement. But before he could comment, Yusei walked out of the room with a new ambition in mind.

* * *

Akiza was sitting at her desk in her bedroom, reviewing her class notes for an upcoming exam. With her parents out of the house for a special political dinner, it was a perfect night for Akiza to have a quiet study session in pajamas.

That was until she heard the front doorbell ring, shocking her back into reality. Akiza stood up and made her way downstairs, wondering who could possibly be at her door this late at night. After reaching the front hallway of her mansion-like home, the young girl opened the large door slightly to see who was waiting for her.

However, she was surprised to find the steps outside the front door were empty with no one in sight. Akiza opened the door fully and looked around. It was only until she looked down at the ground, did she notice something new.

A single white rose.

Akiza bent down and picked up the delicate flower. She noticed a small card tied around the stem. The writing on the paper spelled out the words: I know it's really cliche. Akiza was confused about what the statement meant, until she saw Yusei's signature at the bottom of the card. She could not help but smile.

"Yusei!" She called out into the night. Unfortunately, there was no response. Akiza shook her head and went back inside. "If this is his way of telling me he loves me, I picked the right guy after all."


	3. Rides

Rides

"Where's Yusei?" Akiza asked the other boys in the garage.

"Probably out riding his duel runner again." Crow speculated, after noticing the lack of a certain bright red bike.

Akiza sighed. This was the third time this week she missed out on seeing Yusei because he was so damn focused on his runner. "What does he find so interesting about duel runners anyways?"

"Yusei has always been into mechanics." Jack answered, knowing his old friend far too well. "And the thrill of going fast really does make you feel alive."

Akiza cocked her head, not fully agreeing with Jack's opinion on runners and speed. She had been left out of the turbo dueling world because her fear of motorcycles and diving at insanely fast speeds. One would think, that with her new turbo dueling friends, Akiza would be able get over her childhood fear of top speeds. But time and time again, she freaked out at even the thought of riding one of their runners.

Having no other reason to stay at the garage, the young girl said a quick goodbye to her friends and left.

While walking down the street, headed back to her own home, Akiza heard a loud sound coming from behind her. She quickly looked over her shoulder and saw a runner coming her way. She stepped to the side, wanting to avoid the machine. However, the bike pulled up beside her anyway. "Hey, Akiza!"

"Oh! Hi, Yusei." Akiza felt relieved to see it was only him. "Jack and Crow said you might be out riding."

Yusei nodded. "I was just finishing up a test drive. If you want, I can give you a ride back to your place. If that's where you were headed?"

Akiza stiffened up. "No. It's fine. It's a really nice day for a walk."

"It's a really nice day for a drive, too." Yusei added with a smirk. He wanted to show off all the hard work he had been doing on his runner's engine, and secretly wanted to spend some lost time with Akiza. Too bad he did not know about her fear.

"Is it safe?" Akiza asked out right.

Yusei was taken back at the question, but slowly started to understand what was happening. It only took him a moment to realize what Akiza was getting at. "Of course it's safe. You're always safe with me." Yusei held out his hand for her to take.

Akiza felt very reluctant, but figured riding with Yusei was the only way she could spend more time with him. She took his hand, grabbed the spear helmet and sat behind Yusei on his runner. The scared girl locked her hands around Yusei's waist. It was then Yusei felt a slight shaking in her arms and knew his suspicions were right. She really was nervous.

"Akiza, is this you're first time on a duel runner?" He asked, although having already guessed the correct answer.

The young girl tried to hide her face. "Yea."

"Don't worry." Yusei smiled. "I'll give you the ride of your life."

Akiza could feel her face heating up. Yusei revved the engine and in no time, the bike started speeding down the road. The young girl sitting at back closed her eyes tightly and had the waist of the driver in a death grip. Akiza could feel the runner swerve through the streets and fly down the straight roads. She wanted to tell Yusei to stop, or at least to slow down. He could kill them driving like this.

However, Akiza slowly began to open her eyes. The world began to fly by and blur in speed. It was almost hypnotizing. The wind brushing against her body was a new kind of feeling the girl had never experienced before. This was the world she was missing. This is what all the other guys felt when riding their runners. Her fears suddenly turned into new sensations that she wanted more of.

She slowly began to loosen her grip and tried to get a good look at how Yusei was driving this machine. "Are you feeling alright, Akiza?" Yusei asked, noticing the girl's change in attitude towards the situation.

"Yea. I just always had this fear about driving really fast, but now it doesn't seem so bad." Akiza explained.

"I told you that you would be safe with me." Yusei smiled, happy he finally was able to get through to her. "There certainly is something mesmerizing about riding a duel runner. And the rush you get when turbo dueling is really something else."

"Turbo dueling?" Akiza repeated with one last nervous twitch. "Maybe we could save that for another day."

"Sure. But for now, how about a ride around the city to catch up on some lost alone time?"

"Yes, please."


	4. Ten

Ten

"Yusei?"

"Yea, Akiza?"

Akiza's heart skipped a beat at the way Yusei spoke her name. She was still getting used to the fact that her and Yusei were officially dating now.

"What do you love about me?" The young lady asked, wrapping her slim arms around Yusei's neck playfully.

Yusei glanced up in slight confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

"Tell me what you love about me...tell me ten things you love about me." Akiza smiled at her knight in shining armor.

Yusei returned the gesture and let out a small laugh. It only took him a moment to form the right words to say. "Well, for starters, I love watching you duel. I love your caring personality. I love your persistent attitude."

"Go on." Akiza ran her fingers through the back of Yusei's hair, an act that she knows can put her man over the edge.

"I love how you're not like other dimwitted girls. I love the way you carry yourself. I love how you never let other people get the better of you anymore."

"And?"

"I love how beautiful you are. I love watching how you move your body across mine. And I especially love that smile of your's. Nobody has a smile like you do, Akiza." Yusei leaned in and kissed his girlfriend on the cheek.

Akiza could feel the blush on her cheeks begin to intensify. "That was only nine. You still owe me one more."

Yusei gently brushed Akiza's hair back with his hand. "I love...that you're mine."


	5. Passion

Passion

"Yu-Yusei. Oh." Akiza could not think, let alone speak. All she could do was melt under the sensation of Yusei kissing at her neck and moving his hands all over her body. What was supposed to be a quick drop in to visit the guys, was turning into a heavy make out session with Yusei. And oh boy, did those two love it!

Yusei ran his hands down to Akiza's thighs and began to rub the inner sides of them. Akiza let out another quiet moan. She could not scream or yell out Yusei's name in pleasure, because Jack, Crow and Bruno were still downstairs in the garage. It was a dangerous act they were playing. If one of the others would happen to over hear what they were doing, they could never live it down. They were probably growing suspicions already.

"Yusei, we can't keep doing this now." Akiza managed to protest. "What if one of the guys hear us?"

Yusei stopped kissing his lover and smirked. "It'd make for a great challenge. Besides, who cares if they can hear us? At least they'll have to stop teasing me about not getting any." Yusei was talking like he had thrown his normal calm-and-collected attitude out the window, something that only ever happened when he was in bed.

"I'm serious." Akiza weakly pushed the lovestruck boy away. "I'm not doing it with the other guys in the garage. It's bad enough we've gone this far."

"Alright." Yusei pouted, still not agreeing with Akiza's concerns. "But just because we're stopping for now, doesn't mean I'm not finished with you yet."

Akiza bit her bottom lip. Whenever Yusei became dominant and possessive of her, in a respectful way of course, a spark would ignite inside of her. That boy made her experience sensations that first seemed unimaginable. "What do you want to do to me?" The words slipped out of her mouth before she could catch them.

Yusei smirked. He knew she wanted him. "I want you to let me love you." Yusei pressed his lips deeply against Akiza's, sending shivers up the girl's spine.

"Hey, Yusei!" Crow yelled from downstairs. "Bruno needs your help with the engine design."

Yusei groaned in the back of his throat. That was the last thing he wanted to do right now.

Akiza could not help but giggle at Yusei's face of disappointment. "Guess you'll have to love me some other time."

"How about you stop by tomorrow afternoon, so we can continue this when I know the other guys won't be here?"

Akiza wrapped her arms around Yusei's neck and whispered into his ear. "Absolutely. Just make sure you're going to love me the way only you can."


	6. Pool

Pool

Yusei stepped into the heated waters of the rooftop pool. Even with the bright lights of the city shining from below, the crisp night sky was filled with glittering stars. The young man sighed as he immersed himself in the calming waters. "Damn. I needed this."

It was half past midnight and Yusei was alone at the twin's Tops apartment. Leo and Luna were currently visiting their parents in London. While they were away, Leo had asked Yusei to fix a loose wheel on his duel board, giving Yusei special access to the apartment. He had finished his work on the young boy's board and figured it would not hurt anyone if he sat in their pool for a little while.

He needed the relaxation time alone, especially after he was forced to be referee for another fight between Jack and Crow. Life had become so stressful for him lately. Yusei lowered his body so that even more of his body could feel the warming touch of the water. Being by himself, high up in the sky with only the hum of the city streets below, Yusei lost track of reality.

Until suddenly, he heard the sliding doors to the outside patio open. Yusei quickly turned his head to see who was there. "Akiza." He was slightly relieve to see the familiar girl, yet curious to why she was there. "What are you doing here?"

Akiza was a bit wide eyed, not expecting to see Yusei here at all, let alone in the pool. "Luna asked me to check on something for her. I see you've made yourself at home." She laughed slightly, realizing this was an interesting coincidence.

Yusei was about to stand up, but quickly remembered he was only wearing his boxers, which were now soaking wet. "Leo asked me to fix something on his duel board."

Akiza tilted her head in understanding. "Can I join you?"

The young man glanced around, not really sure how to address the request. "Alright."

Akiza slowly walked over to the pool. She started stripping down to her bra and panties along the way. She slid into the pool and sat a short distance from Yusei. The young man could feel a redness begin to burn on his face.

"It's a beautiful night." Akiza commented, looking up at the sky. She could sense Yusei's uneasiness.

"It sure is." Yusei agreed.

"To think, if we hadn't teamed up to save the world, everything would have probably been destroyed."

"Yea."

The two Signers sat together in silence. Yusei had no idea what to do in the situation he found himself in. He did not want to leave so abruptly, but at the same time, the long silence was killing him.

"Yusei?"

His eyes perked up after recognizing his name. Yusei looked over to Akiza, being careful not to stare too long at certain areas. "Yea?"

Akiza smiled. "Will you just relax?" She moved in close and wrapped herself around Yusei's arm.

She was right. Yusei took a deep breath and let his body loosen up under Akiza's touch.

"That's better."

Yusei glanced back at Akiza, finding a hint of courage to get her closer. The young man wrapped his arms around Akiza's waist and pulled her on top of his lap. Even in the darkness of the night, the two could see the blush on each other's cheeks and the spark in their eyes. Akiza lowered her eyes onto Yusei's lips. She slowly leaned in and pressed her mouth on Yusei's bottom lip.

Yusei let out a quiet moan. Now this is what he really needed. The two brushed their lips across each others, slowly taking in the familiar taste. Yusei cocked his head back, seeing Akiza was a bit disappointed. "It's getting kind of cold out here. How about we head inside?"

Akiza smirked, knowing what Yusei was hinting at. She nodded her head and took Yusei's hand to lead him inside the apartment. Yusei smiled. It certainly was a perfect night for a dip in the pool.


	7. Hurt

Hurt

Suggested by K2-Black-Panther

"Yusei." Akiza peered over at the young man still sitting in the garden with her. The others had gone back inside Goodwin's mansion, leaving Yusei and Akiza alone together. At first, Akiza was happy to be with the man who saved her in such a peaceful environment, until she noticed something was off about him. "Are you feeling alright?"

Yusei was tightly grabbing his right side in noticeable pain. Akiza wondered what could be causing him discomfort, until she remembered her own duel against him and how much damage she inflicted on him. All of that trauma after just recovering from a serious injury inflicted during the shadow duel against his childhood friend must have left Yusei in a very physically damaged state.

"You're not hurting, are you?" Akiza asked again, not getting an answer from him the first time.

Yusei glanced up, trying to hide the dull pain he was feeling in his side. "I'm fine. My side is just bothering me is all."

"Do you want me to see if Goodwin can get you to a doctor?"

"No." He was too quick to turn down the idea. "I'll be fine. I just need to take it easy until we head back to Satellite."

Akiza saw it in his eyes that he was lying. She knew the expression on his face far too well. He was in pain, both physical and emotional pain. There was no way Yusei could face Kalin and the rest of the Dark Signers if he was not at his very best. He needed help.

"Do you at least want me look at it?" Akiza offered up another suggestion. "We can't have you getting sick or injured before we head over to the Satellite sector."

Yusei moved his hand away from his side and showed off a half cocked smile. "No. I'll be fine...really." Yet his eyes still twitched and Akiza knew he was still in pain. Before she could protest once more, Yusei moved to stand up. "Come on. We should go inside with the others." Unfortunately, as soon as Yusei stood up straight, a wave of pain flashed across his body and he arched over.

"Yusei." Akiza went to his side and took him by the arm. She lead the weakened duelist back inside the mansion and called for help. "Jack. Jack!"

Luckily, Jack heard the faint cries just as he was about to head up to the roof and ran back downstairs. "Akiza, what is it? What's wrong?"

"It's Yusei. He's in a lot of pain. I think we need to get him to a doctor."

Jack ran over to his old friend and helped Akiza carry him upstairs to an empty bedroom. Jack placed Yusei on the bed and quickly looked over his friend's weakening state. "I'm going to get Mina. You stay here with him." The older man quickly walked out of the room in search for his assistant.

Akiza turned her attention back to Yusei, who was holding his side in a death grip, grinding his teeth and tightly closing his eyes. "Yusei, let me see your side." Yusei did not move, most likely because he was in too much pain to comprehend what she asked of him. "Yusei, please. I want to help you, just like how you helped me. Don't try to push me away!"

Yusei opened his eyes and looked at up Akiza. "Akiza. I-I don't want you to worry about me. You've got your own problems to be worried about...I'll be fine. I can manage on my own."

The young girl shook her head at the false statement. "Do you do this all the time?" She asked quietly.

"What?" Yusei managed to say.

"You put on a face of strength and courage, so you can help others. And you always keep that face on, even when you're the one in pain and in need. Are you too stubborn to realize that you're human just like everybody else? It's okay to ask for help once and awhile. You don't always have to be the hero, Yusei."

"Akiza." Yusei cut her off before she could continue. "I know I'm not invincible. I know I need help sometimes, like now especially. I just...I just didn't want to seem weak and broken to you."

Akiza's eyes widened. "What do you mean 'to me'?"

Yusei stared into Akiza's eyes. "I wanted to be there for you. I wanted to impress you."

She could feel a hint of redness appear on her checks. "To impress me?"

Surprisingly, Yusei became flustered. "I mean...I wanted to be someone who you could always turn to. That no matter what happened, I was always going to be there for you."

Akiza smiled. "Well, the only way you can do that for me is to get better and help yourself first."

Yusei smiled back, as much as he could with the increasing pain in his side. He was hurting inside, more than anybody could know. But Yusei was beginning to realize that he should practice what he preached. And it was all thanks to Akiza, who somehow managed to see past his own mask.

"Akiza, is Yusei still alright?" Jack interrupted as he ran back into the room with Mina, Luna, Leo and Goodwin.

Yusei lifted his head to address the new crowd himself. "I think I need help back to the hospital."

"I'll get my driver to take you there. I just hope this doesn't endanger our plans of you all heading back to the Satellite." Goodwin stated.

Suddenly, Akiza felt something, or someone, lightly grab her wrist. "Akiza?" She looked down at Yusei. "You're coming with me, right?"

"Of course. I'll always be there for you."


	8. Detox

Detox

Yusei hung his throbbing head over the toilet bowl in shame. He could still taste the alcohol that Kalin had brought from Crash Town on his lips. He knew his friends downstairs were probably laughing through their own hangovers at the fact that he drank far less than any of them last night, yet was having the worst morning of his life. Yusei tried to lift himself from the bathroom floor, but found that his body was completely drained of all energy.

"Yusei?"

The young man turned his sore eyes to the opening door. "Akiza? What are you doing here?"

Akiza knelt down besides Yusei, slightly amused on the inside to see her boyfriend in this bad of a state after one night of drinking. "My guess is that you don't remember all of those messages you sent me last night."

"What?" Yusei lifted his head in confusion. "Crap. I barely remember anything from last night."

"Crow told me what you guys were up to and it makes sense now." Akiza began to rub Yusei's shoulders, trying to comfort him in his time of need.

"What did I send you last night?"

Akiza smiled. "I'll show you the messages later when you're feeling better. Why don't you just rest for a bit longer? If you want, I could go get you something to drink. That should help with that headache of yours."

Yusei groaned in the back of his throat and set his head back down on the toilet seat. "I don't think I can keep down anything right now." Just as Yusei was about to be hit with another wave of nausea, he instead felt Akiza lay a soft kiss on his left cheek. The corners of his mouth perked up.

"Take it easy, Yusei."


	9. Dinner

Dinner

Suggested by Jade546

 _Ding. Dong._

After a short moment pasted, Yusei heard rustling from behind the door. The young man straightened his posture and cleared his throat. He hoped he had done enough to make himself seem presentable to his gracious hosts; what with the borrowed suit still being slightly too large for him, even after the alterations done by Zora, and his hair ruffled by his helmet.

The front door of the large mansion opened, revealing a middle-aged woman with a sincere smile on her face. "Hello, Yusei."

"Hello, Mrs. Izinski." Yusei smiled in return. "Thank you for having me over for dinner tonight."

"We're all glad you could make it. Please, come inside." Mrs. Izinski lead Yusei inside the extravagant home. Yusei was quick to marvel at the design and rather expensive-looking decor of the house, this being only his second time inside a mansion that took his breath away.

Yet his attention was quickly taken away from the home and focused on another beauty that not only took his breath away, but also made his heart skip a beat. "Hi, Akiza." Yusei somehow managed to say after being awe struck by Akiza's beauty when she walked in the front entry way to greet him.

"You're just in time." Akiza wrapped herself around Yusei's upper arm. "Dinner is ready and my father is waiting for us in the dinning room. And by the way, Jack's old suit looks nice on you."

Yusei grinned with pride. "Not as nice as how that dress looks on you." He whispered into Akiza's ear, not wanting anyone to over hear their playful banter. Of course Akiza's short, deep red halter-top dress really did complement her figure beautifully.

The pair followed Akiza's mother into the dinning room. Immediately after entering, Yusei crossed eyes with Akiza's father. "Hello, Yusei." The older man walked up to the boy and held out his hand. Yusei expected the gesture and shook Hideo's hand, being careful about what type of grip he used.

"Hello, Mr. Izinski. Thank you so much for inviting me into your home." Yusei replied, watching the tone in his voice.

"Of course." The former senator nodded his head slightly. "Let's all take our seats."

Yusei and Hideo's interactions had never been so formal. However, since Yusei and Akiza made their feelings for each other known to the world, the father had to change his attitudes towards Yusei for the sake of his daughter. Yet, in his heart, Hideo was still very much appreciative for what Yusei had done to save Akiza from Sayer's grasp.

As the group took their seats at the large dinning room table, Yusei could not help but eye up all the delicious food. In actuality, it was not that fancy of a feast, but after eating ramen for two weeks straight, it all looked divine. "Everything looks delicious, Mrs. Izinski."

"Well, I can't take all the credit. Akiza helped me with most of it." She admitted.

"Really?" Yusei glanced over at his girl, who was slightly blushing.

The rest of the night was filled with lots of conversation. Yusei told the family how Jack, Crow and himself were going to enter the World Racing Grand Prix, and also tried to explain what kind of new engine he was building for their duel runners. Akiza talked about her school work and classes. Mrs. Izinski gave Yusei a quick tip on how to make pasta. And Hideo informed Yusei about the status of Domino's government after Rex Goodwin's death, or at least what he was told before leaving office.

After all the food was finished and everyone was feeling full, Yusei was glad that it seemed the worst of the night was over. "I can take these dishes into the kitchen for you, Mrs. Izinski."

"You will do no such thing." Akiza's mother protested after Yusei's generous offer. "You're our guest. You can just go into the den with Hideo and we'll bring out some coffee and biscuits in a few minutes."

 _Crap._ _What does he want from me now?_ Yusei cursed to himself. He had thought the worst of the night was over, but now he has to sit alone with Akiza's father. _I guess this is the time to ask him._

The two men followed Mrs. Izinski's orders and made their way to the den, leaving the ladies to themselves. Yusei sat on the large coach and Hideo took a seat on his personal chair next to the den's fireplace. "So, Yusei. How do you like living in Domino City?"

"I really like it so far." Yusei replied honestly. "It has taken me sometime to get used to all the new changes in my life."

"Well that's to be expected, especially for someone your age, but you seem to have everything under control."

"I like to think I do." The young man glanced away for a quick second, thinking back to the mess of a place he was currently living in.

"Yusei, if you need help with anything at all, don't hesitate to ask me. Money, work, housing, just ask." Hideo offered up.

Yusei quickly glanced at him in surprise. "I couldn't ask something like that of you."

Hideo smiled. Maybe Yusei really was the right choice for his daughter. "After everything you've done to help Akiza and help bring my family back together, this is the only way I know how to thank you."

"Honestly sir, you don't have to offer that." Yusei insisted. He never helped people with the intent of getting something in return, except maybe their friendship. "But if you have to give me anything, I would really appreciate your approval."

Hideo stared blankly at the boy, who had paused his words.

Yusei noticed the silence and went to continue. "I would like your approval to court your daughter. The truth is, I still have a lot to work on in my own life, but Akiza means so much to me."

"Yusei." The older man quickly said before Yusei could add anything else. "How could I not give you my approval?"

His eyes lit up. He almost jumped out of his seat. He could feel his hands shaking. Yusei thought that Akiza's father would disapprove of the young couple dating. "You mean that?"

"Of course." Hideo nodded his head. "I have never seen Akiza as happy as she is when she's with you."

"What are you two boys talking about?" Mrs. Izinski asked while walking into the den with a tray of desserts in her hands and her daughter by her side.

"Yusei was just telling me about some of the repair jobs he's been doing." Hideo lied to cover up the man-to-man conversation, even though the ladies knew pretty much what was going on.

"He didn't interrogate you too much, I hope." Akiza joked while sitting down next to Yusei.

Yusei shook his head back to reality. "No. Nothing like that." Suddenly, Yusei slipped his hand to interlock with Akiza's. When she noticed this, the young girl knew that Yusei had gotten her father's approval to date her. And by the end of the night, they would officially be a couple.


	10. Voice

Voice

She knew that voice. That voice had become a norm in her life. Something she longed to hear everyday, yet would never get tired of. A voice so sincere, so calming, so immersive. She could swaddle herself in that voice, let her mind get lost in every deep turn. It did not matter the words spoken. That voice would capture her attention without even trying.

"Akiza."

He called out to her in that voice. He had no idea how much his voice meant to her. That voice brought a sense of safety and belonging to her world, something no one else ever had managed to do.

"Akiza."

She would follow that voice to the ends of the earth, if it asked her to.

"Akiza, it's getting late."

Her eyes perked up. She thought she was dreaming Yusei's voice calling out to her, like it had done before. But, he was actually trying to reach her. Putting his hands on her shoulders and getting in close to wake her.

"It is?"

She sat up in a daze. Trying to remember, she recalled coming to the garage so she could ask Yusei a question about her physics homework. Yet, she had no recollection of falling asleep on the couch.

"It's past midnight."

He told her in the voice she was just dreaming about.

"Midnight?"

Where did the time go? She had to get home.

"I was going to offer you a ride back to your place, but you look really tired. Why don't you just stay here for the night."

His voice was not asking her to stay, it was telling her to stay because Yusei wanted her to. And how could she refuse his voice?

"Alright."

Akiza let her eyelids close again. He was right. She really was tired, more than she first realized. He slid on the couch so he could sit next to her. She noticed this and took it upon herself to rest her head on his lap.

Yusei stroked her arms and watched her breathe. She was drifting in and out of sleep, wanting to cure her tired eyes, but also needing to hear his voice one last time before letting her mind wander off.

"It's alright, Akiza."


	11. Jumpscare

Jumpscare

"Don't go down that hallway, Jack!" Crow pleaded from behind his bed comforter.

Jack moaned. "I have to. The closet key might be down there."

"Don't say I didn't warn ya'." Crow pulled up the comforter to partially cover his eyes.

Akiza tightened her grip on Yusei's arm. Even though she had been through and seen plenty of scary stuff in her life, jumpscares always put her on edge. She sometimes wondered how anybody could possible stand putting themselves through that type of torture.

So of course when the guys decided to splurge on a new video game, they had to pick the newest jumpscare horror fest of the season. Akiza did not plan on sticking around when they started playing the game, but it was already set up when she got there. She could not just walk in for two seconds then leave because of some stupid video game.

Besides, Yusei pulled her to the couch with him and told her she could hold onto him if she got nervous. How could she pass that up?

"I can't see anything down this hallway." Jack commented on the darkened screen. When Crow threw him the controller and told him he was a pussy if he could not play it, there was no way the king could refuse. He started off doing rather well, but slowly became more and more fearful with every wrong button he pressed.

"I told you not to go down it." Crow snarked in a higher octave.

Even though they all knew it was coming, nobody was prepared for...a long-legged zombie hybrid that jumped down from the ceiling!

"Fuck!" Jack whipped his head back.

"Aaaaahhh! Kill it! Kill it!" Crow screamed.

"Oh shit." Yusei whispered after slightly jumping back.

Akiza did not say a word. She was too busy burying her head to Yusei's neck and keeping a death grip on his arm.

"It's okay, Akiza. Jack killed it."

She peered up at Yusei's comment, realizing what she was doing to him. "Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't even realize how hard I was holding onto your arm."

"It's fine." Yusei smiled softly. "I'm glad you decided to stay."

Akiza quickly turned away to hide her blush. "As long as you're here to protect me."

Yusei relaxed his body as Akiza shifted her arms to his torso. At that moment, the monsters in the video game did not seem to frighten those two. They felt protected and safe laying on that couch in each others arms.

Until a psycho jumped out with a chainsaw!

"Aaaaahhhh!"


	12. Messages

Messages

Akiza was spread out on her bed with her graded calculus test in hand, trying to figure out what she had done wrong. There was red ink scribbled all over her penciled writing, so much so that her brain was going numb striving to decipher it. Suddenly, her phone buzzed and she could see the light it produced out of the corner of her eye.

"Who the hell is messaging me this late at night?" Akiza picked up her phone in slight annoyance. Surprisingly, it was Yusei.

 _Hey. Wha are youu doing right, now?_

Akiza tilted her head. Something was off about this, but she could not put her finger on what it was. _Hey! I'm just looking over my calculus test. Remember, you tried to help me understand it. Didn't do so well._

 _Oh.. That sounds fun, can I join?_

The response was immediate. Akiza tried to reread the message in Yusei's voice, but it did not seem to match what he normally wrote her. _I thought Kalin was coming over to visit you guys?_

 _He is her. but I want to see you_

Akiza was now very concerned. Yusei always messaged her in proper grammar and normally called her if he wanted to meet up with her. _Are you feeling alright, Yusei?_

Unfortunately, there was no immediate response. Akiza sat up, clutching the phone in her hand, waiting for any answer. Seconds ticked by, slowly being followed by minutes passing. _Yusei, are you okay?_

Shortly after that second attempt, Yusei finally messaged her back.

 _You could come over, I went to see you._

Akiza shook her head in disbelief at what Yusei, of all people, was writing. She tapped out of her messages with Yusei and scrolled down to find another contact. _Hey Jack. Are you with Yusei? He's messaging me and I think something is wrong with him._

The young girl sighed. Jack normally does not respond to messages in hast, so she returned to her conversation with Yusei. _Maybe I can come over tomorrow to check in on you?_

 _I cant wait that long to se you hot, mama_

"Hot mama?" Akiza repeated in disbelief. "Yusei Fudo, who the hell I am even talking to?" _I'll drop by your place tomorrow morning._

 _Where you put the lighter_

"Lighter? What is he talking about?" She wondered. _Lighter?_

 _I meean ignition._

 _That was for bruno_

Then, another message popped up on the top of her phone. It was from Jack. _Yusei's fine. I'm with him. Dont take anything he's sendin you seriously._

Akiza became cross. _What are you guys doing?_

Unfortunately, Jack felt no need to respond, leaving Akiza to come up with her own conclusions about what the guys were doing this late at night. And honestly, she had enough. She switched back to her messages with Yusei. _Goodnight, Yusei. I'll see you in the morning. ;)_


	13. Golden

Golden

Window shopping is something the poor people do, or to say it in a better way, something the less fortunate folks do. Akiza is not poor, by means of money that is. Her father gets a pretty paycheck for being the longtime senator of the city and loves to share the wealth with his family. She could buy practically anything she wants. However, when she strolled by one certain store on main street, something unattainable in the window caught her eye.

A beautiful golden ring, with a precision cut diamond as its treasure. It was simple, yet elegant. And it was the one thing in the world Akiza so desperately wanted, but could not buy herself.

Yusei had to buy it for her. Sadly, three years of dating and that man had not given her any hints of an upcoming proposal. So, Akiza was left to gaze at the window displays of engagement rings and wedding dresses.

"Hey, Akiza. Ready for lunch?" Yusei walked up behind her, knocking his girlfriend out of her daydream.

She smiled at her man, who always looked rather handsome in his work attire. "Of course."

"What were you looking at?" He asked out of plain curiosity.

 _Why'd you have to ask that? Shouldn't you already know?_ Akiza thought to herself. "Nothing really. Just window shopping."


	14. Cooking

Cooking

In the kitchen of the Izinski household, Akiza was with her boyfriend preparing dinner, or at least trying to.

"Yusei, I-I have to check the oven." She tried to protest against Yusei sucking on her neck.

Yusei had just gotten back from visiting an old friend and was desperate for some alone time with Akiza. He wrapped his arms around his girlfriend's waist and nudged his face into her neck.

"Yusei!"

"Alright." He slowly released the young girl from his grasp after giving into her crys.

"I thought you said you were starving?" Akiza walked over to the oven to check on the couple's dinner.

Yusei smirked. "You thought I was hungry for food?"

Akiza froze, feeling her face heat up. The young man noticed her stunned dimenor and took it upon himself to do something about it.

Yusei stood behind Akiza and ran his hand up her ass. Then, he spun her around and introduced his lips to hers. He slipped his tongue inside her mouth, reaching his hands back around to feel up her behind.

Akiza let herself be consumed by Yusei's touch. She had no idea how much she needed him. Dinner would just have to wait.

Yusei picked his girlfriend up and sat her down on the kitchen counter. Akiza wrapped her arms around Yusei's neck and the two kept making out. Yusei moved his hands to her thighs, opening her legs wide.

Akiza could feel Yusei putting himself between her legs. Then, she felt a bulge from Yusei's pants getting a bit too close to one certain spot.

"What do you think you're doing?" She broke apart from him. "We're not doing it on the counter."

"Fine. I'll just drag you upstairs to the bedroom...or didn't you say your parents had a nice jacuzzi tub."

"Absolutly not." Akiza slide off the counter, much to Yusei's dismay. "Yusei Fudo, what has gotten into you?"

"I guess." Yusei sighed after losing his hold on Akiza. "After the whole Ghost thing and trying to figure out accel synchro, then having to go get Kalin, I've just been overwhelmed."

Akiza tilted her head. "Well, when I'm overwhelmed, I eat a nice home cooked meal; I don't get my boyfriend to have sex in his roommates bathroom."

"Okay. I get it." Yusei laughed. Even though he was putting his urges aside for now, he was not finished with Akiza yet. "What's for dinner, women? I'm starving."


	15. Chocolate

Chocolate

Yusei grabbed onto Akiza's hips and let out a deep moan. His eyes laid down on the mess of cake batter, baking pans and frosting scattered over the kitchen counter. Jack's birthday was tomorrow and Yusei had asked Akiza to help him make a cake from scratch for the former turbo dueling champion. It started off like any other meet up between the two, but Yusei had no idea Akiza was burning up inside. Before the cake even got in the oven, the young woman started flinging chocolate frosting in his direction and laughed slightly manically.

Some of the sweet frosting hit Yusei's neck and collarbone, which Akiza was more than happy to help clean off of him.

"Damn...Akiza." The words poured out of Yusei's mouth without even realizing it.

The feisty redhead was running her tongue around Yusei's collarbone, making sure not to leave any marks or chocolate frosting on the tan skin. The sensations he was feeling radiated down his body in complete pleasure.

Yusei certainly did not want to stop the master at work. It was not every day he got time alone with Akiza like this. Either he was busy with work or she was busy with school...or Jack and Crow were sitting around the garage like the lodges they are. "Shouldn't we get this cake baked before Jack gets home?"

Akiza tissed at the thought of stopping, but decided to humor herself. "Hmmm...you're that interested in Jack. I shouldn't view him as competition, should I?"

Yusei's eyes crossed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh...nothing." Akiza grinned at the man she was toying with. "Alright. Let's finish up this cake. Hopefully Jack loves this chocolate frosting as much as I do."

The young man saw Akiza wink in his direction and his face developed the slightest shade of pink. "As long as he doesn't want to eat it the way you like to."


	16. Purring

Purring

Akiza fiddled with the bags of groceries in her hands while walking down the hall to her new apartment. Well, her and Yusei's new apartment. Everybody, from her parents to their friends, thought Yusei and Akiza moving in together was awfully sudden. The couple had only been officially dating for six months at the time, but there was no stopping them once they found the perfect place in downtown Domino.

Akiza had the door to her home in sight. Hopefully she would be able to reach it before the groceries slipped through her arms. Suddenly, the door she was frantically aiming for opened and Yusei strolled out. "Hey, Akiza. Let me help you with those."

"Thanks, Yusei." She smiled. It was so thoughtful of Yusei to come out and help her carry the bags.

"Look. Before you walk in there, I have to tell you something." Yusei began to say, keeping eye contact to a minimum.

Akiza quickly became worried. It was not like Yusei to act so nervous and jostled. "What is it?" Her mind started to guess what kind of picture she would walk into. Did he blow up the place working on another engine design? Did he drop everything while trying to cook? Are Jack and Crow here demanding to move in with them?

"Well, while I was walking home from work today, I went down this back alleyway to avoid main street street. You know how busy it can get in the afternoons." He was stalling, either to hide something or to find the right words to explain his situation with so Akiza would be accepting with whatever was behind that door. "And walking through the alley, I saw something moving through the trash cans. For some reason I thought it was a person, so I went over and started looking around."

"Damn it, Yusei!" Akiza stopped the story. She just wanted to get inside. "Will you just tell me what's going on, or am I going to have to look for myself." She did not let Yusei respond before reaching for the doorknob. She quickly opened the door to her home, not even hearing Yusei's pleas for her to wait.

Akiza's eyes immediately raced through the apartment. The kitchen was as clean as she left it, there was no smoke coming from Yusei's work room down the hall and the guest bathroom within view looked intact. Everything was as she left it, until she glanced back at the living room. In the middle of the open space, sitting on the area rug was a small, fluffy orange cat with wide green eyes, staring back at her.

"Is...is that a cat?" Akiza began to ask.

"Yea, it is." Yusei walked into the apartment behind Akiza and headed to put down the bags of groceries in the kitchen. "I found the little guy biting on a trash bag. So, I picked him up and brought him back here to get him some food."

Akiza continued to look at the cat as she walked into the living room. She stood in front of the feline, then bent down on her knees to get closer to it. The young woman was surprised the cat did not run away as she lifted her hand to pet him. The cat's fur was so soft and he started purring under Akiza's touch.

"He's a very friendly cat." Yusei joined the pair in the living room.

Akiza nodded. "I can tell. He seems too well behaved to be a stray."

"There wasn't a collar on him when I found him." Yusei explained. "I looked online to see if anyone had reported a missing cat that looked like this little guy, but I didn't find anything."

The curious cat saw Yusei sit down next to Akiza and immediately went to start climbing on the young man's lap, like he had done before when Yusei first met him.

Akiza noticed the bond forming between her boyfriend and their feline houseguest. Knowing Yusei far too well, the moment he felt a connection with the cat would be the moment he would want the cat to stay, if that did not happen already yet. "So, by the looks of it, I'd say you want to keep him."

Yusei's eyes shot up. It was a yes please without even speaking. "Well...at least until we can find him a good home. I don't want to put him out on the streets again."

"Sounds good to me." Akiza agreed with a smile on her face.

"Really?" Yusei was honestly shocked that Akiza was allowing a stray animal in their new home.

"Sure. I've never had a pet before, so this should be a fun experience." Akiza quickly petted the cat one last time before standing up. "Now, let's head back to the store."

"What for?" He took the cat off his lap and followed Akiza back to his feet.

"For cat food and supplies." She laughed.

"Right." Yusei chuckled alongside her. Down at the couple's feet, their new little roommate was happily purring and rubbing up against their legs.

"Say, what are we going to call him from now on?" Akiza asked Yusei. She figured since he found the cat, it should be his decision on the name. Akiza could pick a name in the future for their chil...next pet, if Yusei wants one.

"How about...Quillbolt?"

"Quillbolt?" Akiza repeated, one certain duel monster card popping into her head. "It's adorable and really suits him."

Yusei bent down and picked up his new feline best friend. "Quillbolt it is then!"

 _meow_


	17. Shower

Shower

I could hear the shower running as I walked into my apartment. I did not expect Akiza, my wife of almost a year now, to be home from work earlier than me. She did tell me she had a slight headache earlier that morning. Hopefully she was not sick. Both of us have been very busy over the past week with our jobs as an attending physician and head researcher.

"Akiza." I called, but received no response. Of course she was not going to respond. She hums to herself in the shower while standing under the hot water. I chuckled a bit, thinking back to the first time we showered together. I had pointed out her humming to her and she had no idea that she was even doing it.

I walked through our home to the master bedroom we shared. I saw Akiza's lab coat, medical bag and articles of her work attire scattered over the bed and floor. I also took off my own lab coat, set down my work bag and kicked off my shoes. Then, I looked to the bathroom door.

I contemplated with myself. Should I go in to check on her? No. She needs this time alone to relax and unwind from a stressful week's work. Then again, Akiza did tell me once that if she was ever really stressed, to take her to bed and make her feel good. I sure as hell needed some release. And we had not been close in two, almost three weeks now.

I went for the door to the bathroom and held my hand out. I knocked on the wood a few times before letting myself in. "Hey, Akiza."

"Yusei."

My attention was not drawn to the running shower. Actually, the curtain to the shower was left wide open, letting hot steam fill the room. Akiza was sitting on the floor, between the sink and toilet, her back up against the wall and her knees to her chest.

"Akiza, what's wrong?" I quickly went to her and got down on my knees. She looked pale and nervous. "Are you sick?"

"I-I was feeling nauseous at the beginning of my shift and my boss sent me home." Akiza began to explain.

I reached my hand out for her cheek. "You still look tired. Maybe it's all that stress you've been under this past week. Why don't you go back to bed and rest for a little while?"

Akiza smiled and put her hand on top of mine. I noticed her eyes start to water. "That's what I thought it was too...at first. But, there is something else."

My eyes widened in anxiousness. I did not know what to say or what she meant by that. All I did was watch her reach up to the sink and grab something that was sitting on the ledge. She held whatever it was in a firm grasp, then looked back at me.

"I took this." She handed the item to me.

As I grabbed it, I recognized the stick and was immediately drawn to the symbol it depicted. "Akiza...does this mean that you're-?"

She nodded her head and an even bigger smiled appeared on her face. "I'm pregnant."

My mind went blank. I could not even think. I did not even really process this new, exciting information, before I wrapped my arms around my wife. I bit my smiling lips and buried my face into her neck. "Oh, Akiza! I can't believe this is actually happening."

"So, you're happy about this?" She asked with a slightly worried tone in her voice.

I pulled back to look into her eyes. "Of course I am."

"I was just so worried. We haven't even been married a year yet. And with both of our jobs being so demanding." Akiza's jaw was shacking.

Of course she should be nervous. Of course her concerns were valid points to worry about. Of course we were not ready. But by those means, who really is ready to bring a new life into the world and care for it. However right now, all those worries did not matter to me. Those were things to deal with later on. Right now, I could not wipe the smile off my face. I was so happy.

"Akiza, I love you." That's the only thing I knew to say that would calm her mind.

"I love you, too, Yusei."


	18. Cold

Cold

"It's freezing in here." Akiza tells me from the other side of the room. I don't feel the cold. The temperature currently in the garage is actually quite comfortable to me. But then I turn towards her. Sitting on the couch, Akiza has her knees up to her chest and a slight quiver on her jaw. She really is cold.

"I'll turn the heat up for you." I stand from my desk and proceed to the wall mounted thermostat. "Bruno must have turned the temperature down again to help keep the engine from over heating." I turn the dial up, increasing the set temperature and hearing the hidden heater kick on.

"Thanks, Yusei." She says.

"No problem."

I sit back down at my desk and continue to work. I could feel the air in the garage slowly begin to heat up. But then I turn back around and see that Akiza is still shivering. A frown forms on my face. I stand back up and walk over to the couch Akiza is trying to warm herself on.

I sit besides her and throw my arm around her shoulders. "Are feeling alright, Akiza? I still look like you're freezing."

"I just have to warm up a bit more." She rubs her hands together, then runs them down her legs. I take my free hand and put it overtop of her arm. Her skin is cold.

"You're not getting sick, are you?" I ask. But before she has the chance to respond, I look at her and notice how pale Akiza's face is. She is getting sick.

"I don't think so." Akiza answers unsurely. "There's no reason why I should be sick. I felt fine earlier."

I shake my head and pull her in close. "You're getting sick. Why don't I take you home?"

"No. It's fine." I can tell she wants to protest, but her energy is draining. "It'll pass."

I firm my grip on her shoulders and lift her off the couch. There is no resistance. "Come on. I'm taking you home, so you can rest and get better." I smile, hopefully wide enough so Akiza can see. "I can't have my best girl get sick."

Her eyes perk up and she looks at me. "Your best girl?"

I nod my head and without another moment to pass, Akiza begins to walk with me. I take her home and make sure her parents know she is feeling ill. I promise to call her tomorrow to check in on her. Akiza's father thanks me for bringing her home and I take me leave.

As I take a few steps away from the house, I feel a scratchy sensation in the bottom of my throat and cough. Suddenly, the night air becomes uncomfortably cold and I shoved my hands in my pockets. I glance back at the home. I smile seeing the light to Akiza's bedroom turn on. "Thanks, Akiza. I give you my heart and you give me your cold."


	19. Nicknames

Nicknames

 _Satellite's Shooting Star. King of Turbo Duels. Satellite Scum. Yus._

 _Black Rose Witch. Little Rose. Black Rose. Aki._

"Let me carry those for you, sweetie pie."

"Thank you so much, darling."

"Right this way, pumpkin."

"Oh sugar, you're so good too me."

"I love you, my shinning daisy."

"I love you too, my handsome hun."

Akiza felt an acidic taste of pending vomit in the back of her throat. There was just something about pet names people gave their significant others that made Akiza want to gag. Maybe she just wasn't a hopeless romantic or maybe she was too cynical for this pure world. She just hated the idea of calling someone you supposedly love a ridiculously cliché name that honestly degrades them.

So after Akiza returned from Germany and officially started dating Yusei Fudo, it was only a matter of time before the subject of nicknames was struck up.

"Hi, Yusei." Akiza surprised her boyfriend during the middle of the work day.

"Hey, Akiza. What are you doing here on your day off?" Yusei gave Akiza a quick side hug.

The young woman held up the bag of food she was carrying. "Thought I would bring you a real lunch instead of the crackers and juice you pack yourself."

Yusei started laughing. "Well, there's no way I could turn that down. How about we head to my office?"

"Great."

The young couple started walking through the halls of the research center, talking about how each of their days have been going so far. Once they reached Yusei's small office, Akiza set the food down on his desk and the two sat together.

"Thanks babe."

Akiza froze. What did Yusei just say? Did he just call her 'babe'? Where did that come from? She honestly did not like that sound of it?

"What?" The young woman asked, still in a state of shock.

Yusei cocked a brow at his girlfriend's odd behavior. "Thanks for bringing me lunch."

"No. You said something else." Akiza went on to say. "You called me 'babe'."

Now Yusei was the one who was confused. "I guess I did. Is there something wrong with that?"

"I just don't really like the idea of pet names." She tried to explain quickly without making things too awkward. "I mean I let my father call me 'little rose' when I was little, but I asked him not to do that anymore. I think me hating nicknames came after the whole incident with the Black Rose Witch and ever since then I-"

"Akiza." Yusei grabbed her hands with his own to stop her from going on and on. "You're rambling again. If you don't want me to call you any other names besides your own, then I won't."

Akiza smiled. What did she do to deserve him? Help save the world, she guessed. "Thanks."


	20. Jack

Jack

Yusei is a brilliant idiot. He is a mastermind when it comes to things like dueling, engineering and helping people. But when it comes other obvious subjects, the poor bastard is completely clueless.

Akiza brightens up when Yusei is around her. She smiles at him like a lovestruck puppy. She goes out of her way to talk to Yusei and spend as much time with him as she possibly can. The poor girl has even tried flirting a couple of times, but like I said, Yusei is clueless.

"Hey Jack, is Yusei around?" Akiza ran up to me while I was enjoying my coffee at the local cafe.

"He left early this morning to finish a couple test runs with the new engine." I informed her.

"Oh. Okay." Her face grew to become saddened. "Well, maybe I'll stop by a little later when he comes back."

"Do you need help with something?" I asked her, not necessarily for politeness, but for detective work. Carly is beginning to rub off on me. "If there's something I could help you with-"

"No. No." Akiza stopped me. "I just need to ask Yusei a question. When he comes back, will you let him know I stopped by?"

"Of course."

"Thanks, Jack." Akiza flashed a smile my way and took off.

I returned to my coffee, but only had a moment of peace before Crow joined me. "Hey, dude! I assumed you would be at your normal spot. I just pasted Akiza while I was coming over here."

"She came by looking for Yusei, but was quick to leave once I told her he was out on another test run." I explained to Crow.

"Oh boy." Crow threw his hands behind his head. "And Yusei is still oblivious to this whole thing with her?"

I smirked. "I'm afraid so. I feel bad for Akiza. She's trying so hard to get Yusei to notice her as more than a friend, but all her efforts are going completely to waste."

Crow started chuckling. "You can say that. I don't know what his deal is. Akiza is beautiful and clearly crazy about him. If I were him, I would have noticed months ago and jumped right on it."

"Yusei is just too focused on the WRGP and everything happening around the Ghost. If anything, he needs to get laid now more than ever."

Crow started out right laughing at my statement. I told people I could be funny. "Yea, you're right! Hey, what if we help Akiza out and set the two of them up?"

"That sounds like a disaster." I took another sip of my coffee.

"Think about it." Crow continued on anyways. "We get those alone together in some romantic situation, throw in a couple of spiked drinks and by the end of the night they're making out under the stars."

"Crow."

"Yea, Jack?"

"I think you need to get laid."

"You ass!"

"Hey guys."

Crow and I looked over and saw Yusei walking towards us. "Hey, Yus. How'd the test runs go?"

Yusei sat down with the two of us, looking defeated. "Even worse than the last time. I still haven't figured out how to calibrate the engine properly. But anyways, you two weren't just fighting again, were you?"

"No." I answered. "Just a friendly discussion."

Yusei smirked. "So, why did Crow just call you an ass?"

"Thanks for reminding me." I picked up the rest of my coffee and poured it on Crow's lap.

"Fuck! Jack, that's hot! I'm done with you." Crow stormed off in rage. Good riddance.

"Really, dude?" Yusei scolded me for my actions, even though the birdbrain deserved it.

"He had it coming. By the way, Akiza was here not too long ago looking for you."

"Did she say why?"

"She just said she had to ask you a question."

"Probably about her schoolwork."

"Probably about getting in your pants." I murmured under my breath, but laughing in my head.

"What?" Apparently I spoke just a bit too loud. "Did you say something?"

"I said 'probably about her future plans'. You know about getting her riding license so she can learn how to turbo duel."

"Maybe." Yusei stood up, his mind already off on something else. "I think I'll give her a call now."

Yusei walked away, finally leaving me alone. I held my cup up to take another sip. "Poor bastard. Wait, what happened to my coffee? Right, Crow."


	21. Sacrifice

Sacrifice

"Yusei, what did you see?"

"Shut up and stand still."

Yusei had just shoved Akiza into the bathroom and slammed the door behind them. No doubt in his mind that the sound of the door closing caught the attention of the monster he saw in the garage below.

He held onto Akiza's shoulders with a death grip, locking on her eyes. Fear was all he could see in them and his eyes reflected the same to her. Neither of them moved a muscle and kept their breaths shallow. It was chilling silence, with the only muffled sound coming from the water pipes behind the bathroom walls.

Akiza could feel herself growing more anxious and terrified with every passing second. Her hands begun to shake. She knew firsthand how dangerous and horrifying those monsters were. They had the body of a starving human, long spider-like arms and legs, a large mouth filled with bladed teeth and a bloodcurdling screech. Their goal: attack and destroy everything that moved.

Yusei noticed the young woman's shakiness. He very slowly moved his hands from her shoulders to her cheeks, lighting cupping her face in his palms. He only wanted to calm her, but he too was trembling inside.

Suddenly, bangs and rustling sounds came from the floor below. The sounds grew louder, closing in on the hallway where the two of them had fled. A deep growling sound began to echo through the floor. Akiza shut her eyes and imagined the world before these hideous monsters crawled out of the sewers of the Neo Domino City.

Then, the growling stopped. In fact, all sound seemed to disappear and time stood still. Yusei smoothly ran his thumbs over Akiza's cheeks, praying the monster had left the home. Akiza slowly began to open her eyes at the feeling of Yusei's comforting touch.

Until the sudden ear piercing screech of the monster jolted Yusei and Akiza into each other's arms. They did not move another inch, continuing to bit their lips and hold their breaths. Yusei could hear the monster ravage through the house, back down to the garage where it continued to destroy everything the guys had stored down there.

"Akiza." Yusei spoke extremely quietly. "I'm going to get the monster's attention and try to get it out of the house."

Akiza's eyes widened in disbelief and confusion. "Yusei, no."

"Just make sure to get out of here when the time is right."

"Yusei, please." Akiza pleaded out of desperation to save her lover's life. "You could be killed."

Yusei held on to her tight. He knew what he was doing. He knew the consequences. But in that moment, Akiza's life seemed a bit more important to him than his own. "I want to make sure you're safe."

Akiza shock her head. "No. I'm not leaving you in the hands of that beast."

"It's either one of us escapes alive or we both die."

"Why don't we just hide out here?"

Suddenly, the grumbling and screeches grow in volume. The monster was coming back upstairs, with more rage and destruction than before.

"Run out the back." Yusei commanded.

"Yusei. No!"

"Run. I love you."

Yusei let Akiza free and opened the bathroom door. He was face to face with the monster, making perfect eye contact. The beast let out a bloodcurdling scream and positioned to charge. Yusei saw his chance and darted through the rest of the hallway, making sure to keep the thing's attention. The monster had completely missed Akiza and quickly crawled to chase after Yusei. He ran as fast as he possible could, breaking through the front of the building into the streets.

Akiza stood in shock at the sight of her love giving himself up for her safety. She finally was able to follow Yusei's command and ran out the back of the house. Once outside, the young woman scanned the area for any sign of Yusei or the monster which chased him.

"Yusei." She whispered his name to herself.

After a moment of standing out in the open, Akiza quickly fled behind some trashcans and curled herself up into a ball. Tears were streaming down her face as she tried to hold back sobs.

There was no sign of Yusei.


	22. Dose

Dose

I wasn't sure what they were when I found them. Little white pills sealed in an orange bottle, half full with no label. I wanted to ask Yusei about them, but it seemed really intrusive. I didn't mean to find them in the drawer of his desk. I just needed an extra pen and he said I could find some in there. Was I not supposed to see the pills? Were they a secret?

A week passed and I couldn't get the pills out of my mind. During my classes, I searched online for what they could be, but became more concerned after seeing the endless lists of drugs and what they were used for.

I made up my mind to ask him. I'm his girlfriend. He would tell me...right? He trusts me. Why on earth does he have those pills?

"Yusei." I had no idea how to bring the subject up without making the conversation downright awkward and uncomfortable.

"Yea Akiza?" He continued to type away on his computer. Always a hard worker.

"I wanted to ask you something. I don't know if it's important or not." I hadn't felt so lost for words in a long time.

Yusei stopped his work and turned to me. "Is something wrong?"

Might as well ask him straight out. Be completely truthful and don't stuttered anything. "Well, last week I noticed a bottle of pills in your desk. I've just been curious about why you have them."

"Pills?" His face went blank. But with a quick twitch of his body, he started talking again. "Vitamins. They're vitamin supplements." He reached into the desk drawer and pulled out the mysterious bottle. "I started taking vitamin supplements a little while back, but the cap on that container broke and Zora had these extra pill bottles laying around."

Vitamins. Simply vitamins. I let out a mental sigh of relief knowing that they weren't anything serious. "Oh, okay. I'm sorry if I came off as invasive, just seeing those pills got me a bit nervous."

"I understand." Yusei smiled, erasing all of my worries.

* * *

I shoved the bottle into the back of my sock drawer. It would be an inconvenience to have to go upstairs when I needed them, but I couldn't let anyone else find them. Akiza seemed to believe my story about them being vitamin supplements. I hate that I lied to her, but if I told her the truth, everything would fall apart.

I need those pills to focus. The last time I let myself lose sight of my goal, I almost gave up fighting and let everyone down. That can never happen again. It's up to me to stay on top of things, to never stop fighting and to do whatever it takes.

If somebody found out I was taking those pills and getting them from a not so reputable source, they would force me stop. I can't stop. Not when I'm so close, yet still so far from my goal.

"Hey, Yusei."

I glanced over to see Bruno in the doorway to my room.

"Are we still working on the engine tonight?"

"Of course." I nodded my head, not wanting to waste anymore time.

"Alright! I'll go heat up some ramen." Bruno walked away with a smile on his face.

This would be another long night of endless work, but it had to be done. I needed to keep working towards my goal of keeping the city save and finding the answers to do just that.

I reached back into the drawer and pulled the bottle out. After unscrewing the cap, I tapped out two pills and immediately throw them in my mouth. I swallowed without any water and put the cap on.

"Yusei."

That wasn't any of the guys' voices. It sounded soft and slightly disappointed. I slowly turned my head to see my girlfriend staring at me.

"You take your vitamin supplements at night?" Akiza asked in a flat tone. "And you're keeping them in your dresser now?"

It was over. Akiza broke through the lie. She knew something else was going on. What was she even doing here at this time of night? I didn't know what I could possibly say to salvage myself. I just stared at her, not moving a single muscle.

"Yusei?"

She wants answers. And as soon as I give them to her, she'll tell the guys and all of this would be over. I failed.

"Yusei, answer me!"

Her demanding voice knocked me out of stare and brought me to face reality. "I'm sorry, Akiza. I'm...sorry that I lied to you."

"Lied to me?" She was growing frustrated and angry with me. In her defense, she had every right to be mad. "So, those aren't vitamin supplements. How could you lie to me about something so serious! What are they then? And why are you taking them? More importantly, why is it you are hiding them from everyone?"

I stepped up to Akiza, grabbed her, pulled her further into my room and slammed the door shut. "Alright. Just, please don't make a big deal about it."

"If it's not a big deal, then why did you lie to me about it?"

I glanced away, not wanting to make eye contact with her. I felt so ashamed for myself for lying to her. "I started taking those pills a few months ago. I read online they can help you focus. With all the work I have been doing on the engine, for the WRGP and finding the Synchro Solution, I was beginning to burn out. After trying those pills, I was able to focus more and get more stuff done in a shorter amount of time. I knew nobody would like that I was taking these, so I just kept it all a secret."

Akiza shook head, definitely not wanting to hear anymore of this. "Yusei, do you have any idea what drugs like that can do to you? How often do you take them? Where the hell do you even get them?"

"I have everything under control." I tried to reassure her.

"Do you?" Her voice was turning into a yell. "When was the last time you were able to work without taking those pills?"

That question caught me off guard. I tired to think back through the previous weeks, recalling all the times I had popped those pills before a long night of working. As I thought, I realized just how often I took drug to focus. Too many times. "I-I don't..."

"Yusei, please give me the pills." Akiza held out her hand.

"No."


	23. Martha

Martha

"And maybe when this is all over you can take her on a date?"

"Uh? A what!"

"I'm just saying, if you two apparently have some sort of connection..."

"I'm trying to save the world! Not date!"

* * *

"You're that senator's daughter."

"Yup. Guilty as charged."

"Yusei was telling me all about you. You're right, Yusei. She's very, very pretty."

* * *

I have never seen Yusei so happy. Ever since he and Akiza started seeing each other, every smile on that boy's lips have been sincere and genuine. My boy is finally getting out of his head and enjoying life. And that is all thanks to Akiza.

She brings out a warmth in Yusei that he had not shown to the world in many years. Likewise, Yusei brings out the soft side of Akiza that had been closed off for most of her childhood. I do not know if it is destiny, or fate, or plain coincidence that these two fit together so perfectly. They really do bring out the best in each other, and something tells me that is are only beginning for them.

"Martha."

I turned my head to the young man sitting at my kitchen counter.

"Something on your mind, Yusei?" I asked, already having an idea of what was running around in my boy's head.

"Someone actually."

"I'm sure Jack will be able to find a job soon." I could not help but grin at my slightly humorous statement. I just wanted Yusei to lighten up and let his words flow free.

Yusei chuckled. "For once it's not about Jack. It's about Akiza."

"Oh."

"When I was with her yesterday, without even thinking, I whispered to myself 'and that's why I love you', with Akiza only an earshot away. But, I don't think she heard me. But if she did, I would be mortified because she has never brought something like that up before. What if she doesn't feel the same way about me? I don't even know if love is what I'm really feeling." Yusei started to ramble, which was unlike him. Akiza must really get him jostled.

"Yusei. Calm down." I put a hand on his shoulder. "I know romantic love like this is new to you, but you should believe me when I say that you and Akiza have a very special connection. And it goes so much deeper than the marks on your arms. You two complete each other."

"You really think so?"

"Absolutely. So the next time your tongue slips and you say that you love Akiza, make sure that she and the rest of the world can hear it."

"Martha." Yusei quickly glanced away with a blush on his face.

* * *

"Go on and save your future wife."


	24. Hot

Hot

Suggested by JCHudson

"Wow!"

Yusei glanced over at Crow, who looked to be staring across the skyline to the city below.

"What?" Yusei asked, thinking Crow would answer with a remark about the amazing view from the Tops. After the air conditioner at the garage broke, Luna and Leo graciously offered the guys a place to stay in their high rise apartment.

Much to Yusei's surprise, the birdbrain was gawking at something else...something completely different. "Akiza's breasts look even bigger in that bikini top."

 _SLAP._

"Dude!" Crow rubbed his head after Yusei's sudden assault.

The older boy glared at his friend. "Don't say crap like that about her."

"The truth?"

Yusei rolled his eyes at first, but then peered over to the sunken pool where Akiza and Luna were sitting in the water. _Fuck you, Crow. Why do you have to be right?_

"Hey, guys!" The two girls waved to the arriving guests.

 _Don't stare. Don't stare. Don't stare!_

* * *

Later that night after everyone else had fallen asleep, Yusei had gotten up to grab a glass of water. While walking through the kitchen, he noticed someone unexpected in the twin's apartment. Fortunately, he recognized the fiery red hair straight away.

"Akiza, you're still here?"

The girl turned to Yusei and smiled. "Luna and Leo said I could use their pool whenever I wanted and I've been really stressed out lately. Plus, it has been unbearable hot outside these past few days. Why don't you...join me? If you'd like."

Yusei was glad it was dark in the large apartment, so Akiza could not see his checks and any other part of his lower body heating up. _Damn. I wouldn't mind seeing that bikini top again. Wait. STOP!_ "I don't have a swimsuit with me."

Akiza smirked wider. "Neither do I."

 _What? Holy crap._ Akiza went to grab Yusei's hand and brought him over to the awaiting pool. When they were at the water's edge, Akiza slowly began to strip down. _What the hell is she doing? Everyone else is inside._

As much as Yusei wanted to eye up Akiza's goods, his morals were forcing his gaze to the city lights below. He could hear Akiza step into the water and immerse herself. The man young slowly moved his eyes back on Akiza. Her body was completely under the water, so with the darkness of the night, Yusei could hardly see an inch of her skin.

"You coming in, Yusei?" Akiza began to swim around, enticing him to step into the refreshing water with her.

 _Yusei, you might never get a chance like this again unless you marry this girl. If you're going to go for it now, just fucking do it. She's obviously letting you. If not, simply walk away. Marry her? Walk away!_

Yusei moved to take off his jacket and shirt. He was glad Akiza's eyes were off somewhere else as he stripped down to his boxers. Before Akiza could turn her attention back to Yusei, the boy quickly slipped into the water, without removing the last of his undergarments. Akiza smiled as she saw Yusei bob around in the water.

"It's about time you came in." Akiza started to swim herself over to Yusei, not taking her eyes off of the fellow Signer.

"You do realize the situation we could find ourselves in if someone walked out here?" Yusei asked, slowly backing up as his admirer came closer.

"You've got to stop worrying so much, Yusei." Akiza began to tease. "When was the last time you had any fun, besides riding around turbo dueling?"

"I can have fun."

"Well then, let's have some fun right now."

Akiza wrapped her legs around Yusei's waist and her arms went right around his neck. Before Yusei could protest, Akiza clasped her lips onto of his, silencing and shocking him.

 _Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap._

Yusei and Akiza stood motionless in the water to sound of applause.

"So, guess I wasn't the only one who thought taking a swim was a good idea to cool off."

"Jack!" Yusei yelled over to the tall shadowy figure.

"Don't mind me." Jack smirked in the darkness and turned around. "I'll leave you two to finish cooling off."


	25. Redhead

Redhead

Yusei and Crow found themselves walking through the trash filled streets of Satellite. "I can't believe Kalin is making us scout out the Market District."

"Well, he and Jack were the ones who scouted the Fleet District." Yusei defended his other two friends. "I thought you liked scouting?"

Crow huffed. "I usually do, but not in the Market District. That place is full of freaks."

"Well, hopefully it shouldn't take us that long."

As the two boys made their way closer to the Market District, groups of people began to fill the streets. Not wanting anyone to notice them, Yusei and Crow ducked into some back alleyways. They took their time observing the inhabitants of the district, noting any presence of duelists who were in the rival gang.

"I thought there would have been more of them." Crow whispered to Yusei.

"I'm sure there's a bunch hiding out somewhere. Kalin said their base is probably on the other side of the district."

"We gotta go all the way over there." Crow protested again. "But it's almost dark out."

Yusei faced Crow. "You heard what Kalin said."

"Screw what Kalin said!"

"You boys need something!"

Yusei and Crow froze as the heard someone yell from behind them. They slowly turned around to see who had spotted them. Luckily, it was not a member of the rival gang, but a woman, probably only in her twenties. She was dressed in a very provocative outfit, leaving not much to the imagination. But what was really the eye catching about this woman was her gorgeous, soft, long red hair.

Unlike Crow, who was more upset that they had gotten caught, Yusei was hooked on the pure sight of this girl.

"I'm sure that I can be of assistance to ya'. Help you boys find a soft bed maybe."

"No thank you, ma'am." Crow was quick to reject the offer. Martha had told the boys to stay away from girls and women who looked just like this one. Something about them giving you diseases, he did not really know. Yusei on the other hand was still stuck on her and her beautiful red hair. He knew what she was willing to give them. What would Kalin and Jack say if they came home with a hooker in tow? "We were just on our way."

After realizing something had knocked Yusei out of his mind, Crow grabbed his friend's vest and proceeded to drag him away from the woman.

"Alright. Maybe I'll see you boys around then!" She called out to them as they walked away.

"Doubt it!"

As Yusei and Crow made their way back to the team's hideout, Yusei was finally able to snap himself back to normal.

"Ya' know, Crow, I think I just realized something."

"What?"

"I like redhead girls."


	26. Bedtime

Bedtime

"That's enough for tonight, Akiza." Akiza's mother closed the book of fairytales and rested it on the nightstand.

The little girl yawned. Her mother's soft voice always helped her fall asleep, especially if she was reading her a great bedtime story. "One more?"

"I'm afraid not tonight." Akiza's mother brushed some loose red hairs out of her daughter's face. "You need your rest. I'll pick out a good story for bedtime tomorrow."

Akiza yawned again, forcing her hazel eyes to stay open for a bit longer. "Mommy, do you think I have a knight in shinning armor waiting for me?"

Her mother smiled. "I'm sure you do, Akiza. Any sweet girl like you deserves a strong, handsome knight to rescue her."

Akiza tilted her head up. "But, what will I need rescuing from?"

"I'm not sure, darling. Life is a strange and unpredictable thing. Who really knows what tomorrow will bring? There maybe a point in your life where you'll need someone, other than your father and I, to help you through hard times. No one will ever know what those hard times are going to be like, but that is when your knight in shining armor will come and rescue you."

Akiza wrapped herself in her blanket, smiled and slowly began to close her eyes. "I bet he's getting ready to fight bad guys. Maybe he'll have mystical powers and he'll fight with a whole army beside him. I wonder if he'll ride a horse?"

Akiza's mother laughed. "In this day in age, I wouldn't be surprised if he rode a motorcycle. But, that's a conversation for when your older. Goodnight, little rose."

"Goodnight, mommy." Akiza finally shut her eyes and drifted to sleep. In her dreams, she pictured her knight in shinning armor leading an unstoppable army with his mystical powers, all while riding a motorcycle.


	27. Sick

Sick

Yusei wanted to call Kalin, ask him what dying had felt like. Because right now, Yusei felt like he was actually dying. It all started when he first woke up. His body felt slow and his mind was out of focus, even though he had gotten six hours of sleep the previous night, a record for him. Yusei also did not feel like eating at all during the day, but forced himself to drink juice to keep his sugars normal.

Then, it all started to go down hill when Yusei was trying to read the latest test results of the new engine prototype. His vision started to blur and he could not even see the bottom right corner of the screen. Maybe it was just eye strain, he thought to himself. He does often stare at computers for far too long. However, even looking around the garage was hard. The blurring corners of his vision started giving him a headache, almost made him feel nauseous.

If only it was a headache. Yusei can work through headaches. He cannot work through this.

"Yusei." Akiza slowly opened the door to the young man's bedroom. Yusei was curled up on his bed, the sheets covering his body from his neck to his torso. His legs were sprawled out and Akiza quickly took note that he was only wearing boxers. She quietly walked up to him, not wanting to disturb him. She just wanted to make sure he was doing okay or if he needed anything. "Yusei."

Crow had told Akiza about how he saw Yusei rubbing his unusually pale face in distress and how he retreated for his room in the middle of the day. She knew Yusei works hard. Maybe too hard and too much. Maybe to the point of exhaustion.

"Close the door." Akiza perked up at the sound of the shaky voice. "The light...hurts."

Akiza quickly shut the door behind her, so the light from the hallway could not enter the purposefully darkened room. "Yusei, can you tell me how you're feeling?" She walked besides his bed. Yusei was covering his face with his hands, rubbing them against his skin every so often. Normally, Yusei would never let anyone see him like this. He hated when people felt sorry for him and hated it even more when people saw him in such a weak state. Like most men with pride, he supposed. But right now, he could not even bring himself to think like he usually does. It hurt too much to.

"There's this stabbing pain in the front of my head." He forced himself to say. The intense throbbing had been moving from his forehead, to behind his eyes and to one side of his head for almost three hours now. Although it felt like a whole lot longer. Who could keep track of time when they're in that much agony? "The light hurts. I just feel so weak."

"Have you gotten sick?" Akiza tried to speak in a soft tone, not to trigger anymore pain in Yusei's mind.

"I feel nauseous...sometimes."

"I'll be right back."

Akiza left, making barely any sound and closed the door behind her again. Yusei buried his face into his bed sheets. A few moments later, without Yusei even realizing she was back, Akiza returned with a few things she thought might help Yusei, if he would accept them.

Suddenly, Yusei was startled by something cold hitting the back of his neck.

"I'm sorry. It's just an ice pack." Akiza shifted the ice so it could more comfortably lay on Yusei's neck. "I'm gonna leave some aspirin on your nightstand with some water. There's also some coffee, but don't drink it too fast."

Akiza watched Yusei for a moment. This was the man who saved her. This was the man who helped save the world. Seeing Yusei like this reminded Akiza that even the strongest of people need to curl up in their beds every once and awhile. As much as Yusei was a force to be reckoned with and a legendary figure to behold, he was still a twenty year old guy, who is way too into his hobbies and may need to get laid more often.

Akiza bent down and gently kissed Yusei's face, wishing a quick recovery for the fellow Signer and the man she had feelings for.

"Take it easy, Yusei. You deserve it."


	28. Victory

Victory

"Yusei! Jack! Crow! You did it!"

Luna and Leo ran over to the boys as they rode their runners back from defeating Aporia. It was a long hard battle against Team New World, but Team 5ds was finally able to overcome the Meklord Emperors using the power of their bonds. They had become the winners of the World Racing Grand Prix.

Yusei could not have felt more overjoyed. Winning the WRGP was not just about the title anymore. Beating Team New World meant that the city was safe from Iliaster's plans. After months of worrying, Yusei could finally breath a sigh of relief. A sensation of excitement shot through his body as more people came over to congratulate the boys on their amazing win.

The little kid inside of him wanted to jump up and down, while the adult he was growing up to be wanted to collapse on the track. Either way, Yusei could not wipe the smile off of his face.

"Yusei!"

His eyes were caught by Akiza, who was also coming over from the pit to congratulate them. The team could not have made it to this point without her help. Akiza's willingness to turbo duel alongside him and Jack against Team Unicorn when Crow busted his shoulder secured Team 5ds path to the finals. She had been rooting for them from the very beginning and, even when Akiza was in the hospital, she believed in Team 5ds, giving them the strength they needed to beat any challenger.

"Yusei! That was incredible."

He did not know what to say. The smile on Akiza's lips was beautiful and her eyes lit up with happiness. He could not say anything. As she stepped in front of him, Yusei wrapped his arm around Akiza's neck and pulled her in close. With one movement, Yusei brought his lips up against Akiza's and gave her a quick kiss.

Akiza pulled back in shock, seeing Yusei with a great big smile still on his lips.

"We never could have done it without you, Akiza."

Akiza started to feel giddy and flung her arms around Yusei for a well deserved hug.

"I never doubted you, Yusei."


	29. Crow

Crow

"So, I heard from the twins that you and Akiza went out on date." Crow smirked.

"What?" Yusei jumped up, almost knocking over everything on the desk he was working at. He normally never got flustered like this. "No we didn't. I've been helping her learn how to ride a duel runner. You knew that."

"You took her to a roller rink. What has that have anything to do with riding a bike?" Crow continued to smile. As much as he loved messing with Yusei, he honestly wanted to see Yusei and Akiza hook up. It was almost painful watching the two of them dance around romance whenever they were together.

Yusei sighed, knowing what game Crow was playing and not being in the mood to deal with his immaturity. "To teach her about balance and get her more comfortable with maneuvering."

"Maneuvering into your pants."

"Crow!"

Yusei lunged at Crow, but the birdbrain was already prepared and dashed out of the garage. "I'm not wrong, Yusei!" He sang while quickly walking away from the building.

"What's up with him?"

Yusei glanced up to see Jack walking down into the garage. "He's just purposefully being annoying today."

Jack let out a laugh. "Well, it must be working. You looked pissed."

Yusei huffed. The roller rink was not a date. He was waiting a little bit longer to ask Akiza out for real.


	30. Return

Return

A buzzing from Yusei's cellphone filled the small office room. The young man glanced over to where he had set his phone down. He decided not to check it, needing to finish his paperwork. Another hour or two went by, he could hardly tell anymore, when there was a knock on the door.

"Yusei, we finished installing the program. The system check is going to run overnight, so we should be set to start tomorrow." Yusei's coworker informed him.

"Alright." Yusei started putting away his papers. "Everything looks good at my end. Now all we have to do is hope nothing breaks down."

"You said it."

Yusei finished packing up all of his belongings to leave work and get himself some rest before starting his next big project tomorrow. Just before he left the office, Yusei grabbed his cellphone and finally looked at who was trying to contact him.

 _Akiza:_

 _Hi Yusei! I just wanted to let you know that I'm coming back to the city for the week and am hoping you're going to be in town. It would be great to catch up with you._

Yusei bit down on his bottom lip hard. Akiza was the last person he wanted to ignore. Ever since she moved to Germany for medical school a year ago, Yusei had missed Akiza. He never could have imagined how much he would miss her. Of course the two kept in contact, but phone calls were hardly enough any more.

 _Yusei:_

 _Hey Akiza. I'm so glad you're coming back. I would love to meet up with you sometime this week. If you want, I can pick you up at the airport? See you soon!_

Barely a second passed by when a new message popped up.

 _Akiza:_

 _Absolutely! I'll let you know when I'm flying in._

The following day after work, Yusei was waiting patiently, well, as patiently as he could for Akiza to arrive at the airport. His foot tapped on the concrete and his eyes were glued to the sliding glass doors across the street. Every time they opened, another stranger walked out. He was sure Akiza's plane should have landed by now.

Yusei sighed. It had been over a year since he had last seen Akiza in person. After starting school, most of her time and energy was devoted to her studies, so she had not returned home at all.

Suddenly, the red haired girl Yusei was looking for walked out and started looking up and down the street.

"Akiza!" Yusei called out, waving his hand and beginning to make his way over to her.

"Yusei!" Akiza smiled, happy to see him after all this time. "Sorry I'm late. The plane took a bit longer to land."

"It's no problem." Yusei finally got to her and immediately pulled Akiza into a hug. "I'm just happy you're back. I've missed you."

Akiza wrapped her arms around Yusei's neck tight. "I've missed you, too. It feels like it's been forever."

"I know what you mean. Come on. I'll take your bag." Yusei reached down and picked up Akiza's suitcase.

"Thanks and thank you for offering to give me a ride. My parents are at a business dinner and I didn't want to bother brining my runner over, since I'll only be here a week."

"How's your bike holding out?" Yusei asked out of plain curiosity.

"Good." Akiza smiled knowing that this year had not at all changed Yusei. "Although I don't ride it as much as I used to."

"Still focusing all your time on studying?" Yusei smirked.

"Yup. And what about your new job? You're not over working yourself, are you?"

"Well, a couple late nights here and there can't hurt me too much."

Akiza started laughing. Yusei could not help but stare at that beautiful smile of her's. Boy he really did miss it.


End file.
